Economic partnerships between industry and academia accelerate medical
innovation and enhance patient access to medical advances, but such partnerships
have sometimes eroded public trust in the research enterprise. There is particular
risk for conflict of interest when economic partnerships extend beyond a university's
corporate interests to involve institutional decision makers. Institutions
and institutional decision makers should fully disclose industry-related financial
interests and relationships. Without legitimate justification for such interests,
individuals should divest themselves from these interests or recuse themselves
from responsibility for research oversight. Management of institutional partnerships
also might entail the physical separation of certain facilities, the placement
of restrictions on information shared between investment and research staffs,
and provision of oversight by independent review panels made up of persons
who have expertise in intellectual property, finance, and research, but who
are not financially or otherwise dependent on the institution. Through these
means, it is possible to restore balance to industry-academia relationships,
thereby promoting progress while maintaining public trust in research.